Two in the same boat
by Kristin3
Summary: A strange fic!!! A SIMPLE WHAT IF. Vash has spilt personalities. The happy go lucky side is Erics.. and the killer is Vash the Stampede. But, Erics doesn't know about his other side! What is he to do?! Lots of Meryl/Vash.. umm.. Erics.. fluff soon
1. Default Chapter

This is my third Trigun fic! This stupid idea wouldn't live me alone!!!!!!!!  
*********************  
Two in the same boat  
*********************  
Introduction-  
  
/i  
  
Erics ran for his life again! This was the eigth time this week this has happened! He quickly ran behind a rock. He sat down behind it and began to try to caught his breath.  
  
"Why... does.... everyone... think... I'm.... Vash.. the... Stampede..?" He asked himself while taking breaths inbetween each word. Then he heard the man following him step by him.  
  
He quickly held his breath as the man walked by, searching for him. The man's gun in his hand, ready to shot at anything that moved. He turned his head towards Erics' hiding place.   
  
Erics felt his heart pound even louder then before. His brain was screaming at him and his legs felt numb.  
  
The man grunted then turned around.  
  
Erics let out his breath too soon and the man turned around. He fired at Erics.  
  
"AAHHH!" Erics yelled and ran away again. He got hit in the shoulder and fell to the ground. He grabbed his shoulder in pain.   
  
The man walked up to him and kicked Erics on his back. Then stepped on Erics' shoulder. Erics screamed in pain.   
  
"I can't believe a man like you is Vash the Stampede, but money is money!" The man said as he pointed his gun at Erics.   
  
Erics looked at the barrel of the gun. His eyes wide in fear. His breath was ragget and short.   
  
"B-but.. I'm not Vash!" Erics shouted, then the sound of a gun was heard. Blood spilled onto the ground and everything was silent once again.  
*********************  
Part 1-Erics secert  
*********************  
"MERYL! WAIT UP FOR ME!" Milly said as she ran after her partner.   
  
"We have to find Vash the Stampede as soon as possible. The agentcy will be very angry if we don't find him soon. We've been ont he case for over a four monthes now. Besides, he was reported to have killed a man here last night." Meryl said as she walked down the street.  
  
"Hey! That's mine you jerk!" A man shouted in a chidish voice.  
  
Meryl and Milly looked around the corner to see a tall blonde haired man with green eyes and a red coat, whinning over a box of doughnuts.  
  
"Now they're mine!" The man chuckled. He kicked the blonde haired man to the ground, then kicked dirt on him.  
  
The blonde haired man looked up at him.  
  
Meryl went around the corner and pointed one of her guns at the one who kicked dirt on the blonde haired man.  
  
"Why don't you just give the box back to that poor man?" Meryl said.  
  
The man took one look at her gun before giving the box to the blonde man, but not before stepping on the box and rubbing it into the ground.  
  
"There's your box back!" The man sneered before walking off laughing.  
  
The blonde haired man looked at the box with sad eyes. He was now sitting up looking at it. Meryl walked over to him.  
  
"Are you alright sir?" She asked, helping him to his feet.  
  
"I'm fine thanks to you. Who are you two? I haven't seen you around town before?" He asked.  
  
"I'm Meryl. This is my partner, Milly." She said.  
  
Milly gave a happy smile and waved. "hello!"  
  
"Hi. I'm Erics. So, what bring you two to this town anyway?" Erics asked them.  
  
"Well, we're looking for Vash the Stampede. Do you happen to know where he might be Mr. Erics?" Milly asked in a cheerful manner.  
  
"AAHHH! VASH THE STAMPEDE?!?! Why are you looking for a killer like him for?!" Erics asked them.  
  
"It's our job as insurance agents to find him and stop him from causing some damage in the cases that he is envolved in." Meryl said in a very professional manner.  
  
"Ohh... So, do you mean he's here?! Right now?!" Erics asked them.  
  
"He was last night. You didn't hear anything?" Meryl asked him.  
  
Now, they started to walk to a bench to sit down. Meryl sat by Erics, Milly went off to buy something to eat.  
  
Meryl couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something strange about this Erics man.  
  
"Well, there was something." Erics said rubbing the back of his neck.  
  
"What?" Meryl asked getting closer to him. 'This might be a good lead.' She thought.  
  
"Well, there was a bounty hunter here yesterday and he was looking for Vash. But, the strange thing was, he thought I was Vash!" Erics said, plainly still shocked at that.  
  
"He thought YOU were Vash the Stampede?!" Meryl asked, equally shocked.  
  
"Yeah! He even tried to kill me last night. But, that wasn't the strangest part either."   
  
"What was the strangest part?"  
  
"Well, the last thing I remember about it was him aiming his gun at me, then nothing."  
  
"Nothing?"  
  
"That's right. Nothing. The next thing I know is I'm waking up in my hotel room.. but I had blood on the front of my shirt. I thought maybe I was shot.. but I wasn't. I think it was the bounty hunter's blood.."  
  
"..That certainly is strange. There was a bounty hunter killed last night too. He was supposivly killed by Vash the Stampede. Did, you happen to see anyone else around you at the time?" Meryl asked, staring up at him.  
  
Erics twisted his face in concentraition. "Humm.. I don't think so.. I don't remember anyone around us at the time. I think everyone fled from the sound of gun shots."  
  
"Well, that atleast lets me know Vash the Stampede was here last night. Thank you for your help Mr. Erics. But, we'd better be going." Meryl said as she got up from the bench.  
  
"Wait! Are you really going to go after that killer?!" Erics asked.  
  
"I have to. It's my job." She said as she continued to walk.   
  
"Wow.. that's one deadicated woman..." He mumbled as he watched her leave. Then smelled the air. "DOUGHNUTS!!!"  
  
************************  
  
Strange.. yes I know it is! This is a strange idea that was bothering mr for awhile. I hope you all got what was happening. If you didn't... Vash is a phyco.. well, he has spilt personalities. I got this idea from my friend who originally thought Vash had spilt personalities... it's weird trust me.. but worth reading! 


	2. Vash the Stampede

I listened to my only review. Please understand I am by no means following the Trigun Universe rules. I only named him Erics because my friends said too. I'm really not going to follow ANY of the rules.   
  
This is suppose to be a completely different look on the whole Trigun Universe, that's why I wrote it like this. Got it? I hope you do.   
  
I agree with you though. I need a beta reader for everything I write, but I never use one mainly because I want to try to correct what I write myself.  
*********************  
Two in the same boat  
*********************  
  
Part 2- Vash the Stampede  
  
Erics happily chomped down on another donut as he walked down the street. He was going to leave this town soon. He didn't want to stay in a town that has Vash the Stampede! ((What cruel ironey huh?))  
  
Erics wasn't watching where he was going and slammed into someone. The person started to fall backwards from the bump. Erics put the rest of the donut in his mouth before shooting his arms out and caughting the poor person he ran into.  
  
He looked down and saw Meryl. He gave a happy grin.  
  
"So we meet again?" He said.  
  
"Why don't you watch where you're going next time?" Meryl asked abit rudely.  
  
Erics gave a sappy look as he helped her stand. Then looked down, kicking some dirt with his foot.  
  
"I'll try next time.. I'm sorry." He commented.  
  
Meryl couldn't take that sappy look on his face much longer.  
  
"It's alright. I'm not hurt. So, have you heard anything else about Vash, Mr. Erics?" She asked him.  
  
He looked at her with a grinning face. "I asked around and everything! Someone said he was wearing red and had blonde hair."  
  
"That's great! Now, atleast we know something about what he looks like. Well, thank you for your help once again Mr. Erics." Meryl said, nodding.  
  
"Your Very welcome! By the way, where's the big girl you were traveling with?" He asked.  
  
"Oh.. she's also asking around."  
  
"That's good. Well, I'd better go pack." He said, about to run off, but was grabbed by meryl first.  
  
"Are you leaving so soon?" She asked him.  
  
"Yeah! I'm not sticking around a place where Vash the Stampede is staying! It's very strange. I think I either have the worst luck on the planet or he is following me."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, every town I have ever been too, he's been there about the same time I have. Then, I always have to leave. When I do, he leaves. I think he's stalking me or something." Erics said while scratching his head in a thoughtful way.  
  
"Stalking you?! What the hell do you mean? Why would Vash the Stampede waste his time on you? And if he was, why didn't he kill you by now?" Meryl said, plainly shocked.  
  
"I don't know!" He yelled out waving his arms for effect. "I haven't even met the guy either. It seems like I always just miss him."  
  
".. Mr. Erics. If he really follows you around... can Milly and I follow you? I mean.. so we can find Vash that is." She said, a little embrassed.  
  
".. I guess so... I've been so lonely! Now, I got some friends!" He said in a child-like voice. He suddenly picked Meryl up and started to give her a bear hug. "I can't believe I have someone to travel with from now on!"  
  
People stopped and stared at the strange pair. They started to whisper.  
  
Meryl, suddenly freed one of her arms and bashed Erics on the head for hugging her like that.  
  
"WHY YOU! Don't ever do that again do you hear me?!?!" She yelled at him. She turned to the people who stopped to watch, glaring at them. "Do you want to get hit as well?!"   
  
Everyone scrambled away from the angry woman. Meryl stomped off to go tell Milly they were going to follow Erics.  
  
Erics was on the ground staring up at the sky. He lifted his hand to the bump on his head. His eyes narrowed.  
  
'That damn fool.... He must have flirted with another woman.. that idiot..' He thought. He sat up and looked around.   
  
Erics had turned into Vash the Stampede from the hit on his head.   
  
He slowly stood up and brushed the dust off of his coat. He gave a smirk as he headed for the town's saloon.   
  
*******************  
  
Meryl had finally found Milly. Milly was at the hotel, asking the now scared, manager about Vash the Stampede.  
  
"Milly." Meryl said. The younger woman turned around.  
  
"Oh hi Meryl!" Milly said in a cheerful voice as usual.  
  
"I found out a way to find Vash faster. Mr. Erics said that Vash usually is in the same town as him, so we will follow Mr. Erics until we find Vash." Meryl said as she presented her plan to find Vash.  
  
"That's great Meryl! Now we don't have to ask around anymore. Besides, I think Mr. Erics is nice."  
  
"Yeah.... nice.." Meryl said while her eyebrow twitched a little.  
  
*********************  
  
Vash sat down at the bar and called the Bar Tender over.  
  
"I'll have a glass of beer and a salmon sandwitch." He said, not looking up.   
  
His eyes were focused on the counter. They were more narrowed then what Erics had and his demenor had changed a lot. Erics held himself in a happy, cheerful way with his eyes almost over flowing with delight.   
  
Vash on the other hand, held his shoulder stiff and broad. His eyes held back all his emotion. His body was more manly, well held. His back more straight and his posture was much better then Erics.  
  
"Here you go sir." The tender said as he placed the glass of beer on the counter in front of him, and a plate with salmon sadwitches on it.  
  
Vash didn't say anything, but sipped the beer, instead of downing it like Erics would do. He placed the glass on the counter and grabbed a sandwitch. He brought it to his mouth, but before he could take a bite, the two insurance girls walked in.  
  
He looked at them in the corner of his eyes, then brought his attention back to his food. He took a bite from the sandwitch.  
  
Meryl and Milly walked up to him. They sat to his right, closer to the door, he noted.  
  
They didn't seem to be weary of him, but more of the people around him. Men in the bar were giving them looks that were most unsettling.  
  
Vash didn't pay any mind to the men, but rather to the two girls.   
  
Even though Erics has control over him sometimes, he could still remember people that Erics had talked too. He remembered the two girls. He wasn't exactly found of them right now, but he wouldn't kill them for no reason like he would other people.  
  
He would wait til they gave him a reason before he did something like that. Especaily to the black haired one. She was interesting...  
  
"Mr. Erics. We are ready to leave when you are." Meryl said as she sat beside him.  
  
Something was upsetting her a little about Mr. Erics. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something wasn't right. It felt like she was talking to a completely different person!  
  
"Alright then. I'll be ready to go in just a minute." He answered, bitting into his sandwitch again. Then took a swing of his beer.  
  
".. umm.. ok." Meryl answered. She turned to the counter and looked down at it's surface.  
  
Milly also noticed somethin' was up with Mr. Erics.   
  
"Mr. Erics? Are you feeling alright?" Milly asked.  
  
Vash looked up at her, tring his best to put on a smile. "Fine." Then he looked back down. He didn't want these.. girls.. to figure out his secret. He promised himself who ever figured out that he, Vash the Stampede was also that Brainless, idiot Erics.. he would kill them.  
  
'Don't give me a reason ladies..' He thought to himself, taking another sip of his beer.  
  
Then, the men from the bar walked over to the girls.  
  
"Hey! Why don't you ditch him. I'd bet you'd have more fun with us!" One man said.   
  
Vash looked at the man in the corner of his eye, before looking back down.  
  
"Yeah! I bet you can't have any fun with this whimp." Another man said.  
  
That got Vash's attention. Vash turned around in his seat and looked at the man. He leaned back against the counter and gave a very twisted grin at them.  
  
"Well, why don't we find out who the real man is?" He asked, not scared in the least.  
  
The men backed away from him. That grin was unsettling.  
  
"Why you punk! Do you know who we are? We are part of the Skyline gang! If you mess with us, you mess with the whole gang." He said.  
  
"Ohhh... I'm shaking in my boots." Vash said sarcastically. He had a lazy look on his face showing he wasn't in the least scared of them. Infact he was bored by these idiots who dare challendge him.  
  
Meryl and Milly stared at him. Both shocked by the sudden change of additude.  
  
The man clentched his fist, then pulled it back. "You asked for this!" He yelled before slamming his fist into Vash's face.   
  
Vash took the blow, his face turned to the side. The men snickered. But, then their jaws dropped. Vash.. laughed..  
  
"Was that all you got? I suggest you run while you still can if that's all you pack." Vash said, his head still turned from the blow.  
  
Then man got ready to strike again, but Vash got the upper hand. He pulled out his gun and pointed into between the man's eyes.  
  
"..Bang." Vash said.  
  
The man almost peed his pants at that moment. Vash grinned a twisted grin again. The other men ran, but the one in front of Vash was frozen in Fear.  
  
"I'll tell you what. I'm in a good mood today, so I'll give you to the count of ten to run." He said.  
  
The man backed away.  
  
"1....2.." Vash started.  
  
The man scrambled out of the bar.   
  
"3...4...5....6" Vash continued.  
  
The man made it out of the bar.  
  
Vash smirked and put his gun away. He turned around and finished his sandwitch. Then he turned to the girls.  
  
Somehow, he turned back into Erics.  
  
"HIYA! WOW! My jaw hurts!" He said, grabbing his jaw.  
  
Meryl and milly nearly fainted.   
  
"But.. but.. you.." Meryl started.  
  
"I what?" He asked confused. He blinked a few times, showing his confusion.  
  
"Nothing.." She said, sitting back down.  
  
"WOW! Time sure does pass by quick! Let's get going!" Erics said. He paid his tab, then grabbed Meryl's sleeve. He almost dragged her out of the bar, grinning the whole time.  
  
'No way.. he couldn't be...' Meryl thought to herself.   
  
"Hey! Can we get a donut on the way?" Erics asked.  
  
'There's no way he could be Vash.. I don't know what I was thinking.' She thought, then continued to follow Erics.  
************************  
  
Well, atleast Vash didn't kill anyone.. so far.. Please review! 


	3. Welcome back Vash!

Wow... no one likes this story or is it that no one reads this story?  
  
But atleast I got two reviews.  
*********************  
Two in the same boat  
*********************  
  
Part 3- Welcome back Vash!  
  
"You know. I'd never dream that I would be traveling in the desert, with two insurance girls looking for the most wanted outlaw in the world!" Erics commented.  
  
"And I'd never dream that I would be traveling with you Mr. Erics." Milly said with her cheerful tone.  
  
"You know.. If he really IS following you Mr. Erics, why do you think he would follow someone like you?" Meryl asked, for then tenth time since they started their jorney.  
  
Erics sighed. "I told you before I have no idea. All I know is, he is usally exactly where I am all the time! I couldn't even escape from him on a sand steamer! He was there too! Though, he stopped it from being robbed, he killed a few of the hijackers in the process."  
  
"So, you did met him." Meryl said.  
  
"No. I never saw him. He always left before I could find him." Erics commented, looking out in the direction they were heading.  
  
Meryl looked behind them, then looked up at Erics. "Well, I can see from here to about 4 iles away. I don't see anyone following us."  
  
"Trust me. He's following us alright." Erics said.  
  
"How do you know?" Milly asked him.  
  
"I don't really, but I have a feeling he isn't too far off." Erics answered.  
  
****20 minutes later****  
  
They went into another town. It was bare. The building were sinking into the ground almost and there were cracks in the buildings. Erics walked around and saw a flier on a building. He walked up to it and read it outloud.  
  
"Wanted:Body Guard  
  
An ace gunman like Vash the Stampede requested. Free room and board, 3 meals, pets are OK"  
  
"Why would someone want a body gaurd? This place is almost deserted!" Meryl said.  
  
"I don't know, but it says free room! Why don't we try it out and get some money in the process? Unless you want to pay for a hotel room." Erics said, re-reading over the flier.  
  
"Why would I pay? You're the man, you should be pay!" Meryl asked in an angry tone.  
  
"Because you are traveling with me and I don't have any money.." he said rather shly.  
  
"WHAT?! You spent your last bit of money on those donuts you bought back there, didn't you?!" Meryl asked him.  
  
"haha... yeah.." He said nervously, backing away from the angry woman.  
  
"You idiot! How could you spend the last of your money on donuts?!"  
  
"Umm... I was hungry.."  
  
Erics backed away from here again, and started running to the home of the man who put the flier out. He rapidly knocked on the door, trying to get in before Meryl caught up to him. A man opened the door and smiled up at him.  
  
"Hi! I say this add and was wondering if I quailify." Erics said, holding up the flier.  
  
"Hi! Welcome! You're hired and from now on your Vash the Stampede. SO welcome Vash the Stampede." He said, shaking Erics' hand.  
  
Erics gave a very confused look. "Ummm... ok.."   
  
"Why don't you come in and sit down?" The man offered.  
  
"Umm thanks. But, there are two girls following me. Can they stay too.. or can it only be me here?" Erics asked.  
  
"They can stay. Any friends of yours, are friends of mine Vash. By the way, My name is Cliff." He said, smiling through his mustache.((I forgot his last name, but I know it starts with an 's'))  
  
"Yeah.. thanks Mr. Cliff." Erics said, still very confused by all this. He looked around the place. It was quite the fancy place. Fine silver wear, nice decorations in the rooms.  
  
"You like my house?" The man asked, standing next to Erics.  
  
"Yeah. It's nice. Much better then the other places I have stayed. Well, my friends should be here pretty soon. The small one is going to try to kill me though..." Erics mumbled the last part.  
  
"Why would she want to do that?" he asked.  
  
"I spent the last of my money on donuts." Erics answered with a shy grin.  
  
The shorter man laughed. "No harm in that. But, I do have some in the kitchen if you like them so much." Before the man could blink, Erics was gone. All he could hear was   
  
'Oh! These are really good! THANKS MISTER!'  
  
The man laughed more, then heard a knock on his door. He answered it.  
  
"hello. You must be the two friends Vash was telling me about. Come on in." The man said.  
  
Meryl and Milly were shocked to say the least, but walked in anyways. They sat down on his couch and listened to him.  
  
"He should be in here soon, once he finishes eating." The man said.  
  
"Oh.. so Vash the stampede is staying here?" Meryl asked him.  
  
"Yes. He is now my hired body guard! What luck I have huh?" The man said with a grin.  
  
"Listen sir. Vash the Stampede is a dangerous man! You can't trust him to guard you no matter how much you pay him!" Meryl advised.  
  
Then Erics walked in with a donut in his mouth and a grin on his face.  
  
"Hi girls!" he said through the donut.  
  
"Did you know Vash was staying here?" Meryl asked him.  
  
Erics grinned even more. The shorter man spoke instead. "Well, he IS vash the stampede."  
  
"..What the hell? What the hell are you talking about? His name isn't Vash, it's Erics!" Meryl said.  
  
"Oh, so you are Vash the Stampede. Pleasure to meet you!" Milly said, shaking Erics' hand.  
  
Erics grinned back. "Pleasure is all mine. Hey, Mister. Do you mind if I have a look around the house while you three are talking?"  
  
"Not at all Vash." he said.  
  
"Thanks. Later!" He zipped around the corner, to go explore the house.  
  
"Look Mister. That can't be Vash! That guy is too nice!" Meryl explained.  
  
"Not really Meryl. Remember what he did in the bar. I think he really might be Vash." Milly said, still in her cheerful voice.  
  
"That only happened for a minute Milly. But, still, I don't think he could be Vash. He doesn't strike me as that kind of person." Meryl coomented.  
  
"Listen, I know he isn't Vash. I only hired him because I need a body guard. You see, someone has been tring to kill me. And If I spread a rumor that Vash the Stampede is working for me, then I am hoping my enemy will run. You see?" Mr. Cliff explained.  
  
"I see now. But, incase Vash the Stampede really does show up... Mr. Cliff. Can we stay here as body guards for you also? We won't charge you of course." Meryl asked.  
  
"Sure. Why not?" He said, smiling.  
  
"Mr. Cliff?" A female voice called out. In stepped a woman with a pink and white dress, with Erics in toe. He was following her around like a love sick puppy.  
  
"Oh, hello Miss. Marianne. Ladies, this is Miss. Marianne. She is a guest here at my home." Mr. Cliff explained.  
  
Marianne bowed slightly. Then turned her attention back to Erics, who was blushing.  
  
"Who are you?" She asked him.  
  
Erics cleared his throat and stood up tall, tring to act tough. "I'm.. Vash the Stampede your new ace gunman and body guard. Don't worry, Miss. Marianne. I will protect you from this fiend who is hunting these grounds. You can count on me!"  
  
Meryl felt like fainting, Mr. Cliff was laughing, Milly was smiling and Miss. Marianne had a sweatdrop.  
  
"Umm.. Hello sir. I'm very happy to have such an amazing ace gunman like you protecting me." She said.  
  
"You're very welcome Miss. Marianne." He said, blushing and with a hand behind his head. He looked rather bashful.  
  
"Hey! I have to talk to you in Private Mr. Vash!" Meryl said, dragging Erics around the corner.  
  
"aww.. And I was making progress too..." He whinned.  
  
"Shut up! What the hell do you think you're doing? Being hired as a body guard when you can't even defend yourself! Do you even HAVE a gun?" Meryl asked.  
  
"Of course I have a gun! I just don't like to use it." Erics said, rubbing the back of his neck. He reached down and pulled out his .45 Colt from it's holder. He showed it to Meryl.  
  
"I only have three bullets in it right now, but I don't think I will have to use it with you two girls here to protect me." Erics said, laughing at the end only to be hit upside the head by Meryl.  
  
"You need to keep your mind on your new job." Meryl said as she walked away. Unknowest to her, she just triggered Erics other personality.  
  
Vash watched Meryl walk away from him, she looked angry at him. He rubbed the spot where he was just hit.   
  
'I wish Erics would stop doing such idiotic things around this woman. I'm going to wind up with brain damage!' He thought to himself as he walked up stairs. Well, he was going to get paid for protecting these people. So, going down there and talking with them was out of the question. If he did, there was a good chance he would get pissed off at them and end up killing them all.  
  
'My work is never done.'  
  
***********************  
Uh oh... He's Vash again... Trust me, things could get interesting now. Please review! 


	4. Sudden changes

Thank you all for reviewing my story! ^_^  
*********************  
Two in the same boat  
*********************  
  
Part 4- Sudden changes  
  
Vash sat down on his bed with his legs crossed. His eyes were closed and he was concentraiting on everything. Meditating if you will.   
  
'What am I going to do? I can't very well hide the fact that I'm Vash from those girls if they are going to be traveling with me. You idiot Erics! You're going to be the death of those two girls if they find out who I am really am.'  
  
Then a sudden knock, made him snap out of his concerntraition. Vash glared at the door for interupting him.   
  
"Mr. Vash?" Milly's voice traveled through the door.  
  
"Yes?" Vash said, tring to sound as 'pleasent' as possible.  
  
"Dinner's ready if you want to come down and eat." Milly said cheerfully to through the door.  
  
"Thank you. I'll be down in just a second." Vash replayed, before looking back down at the sheets. He was hungery, but what if someone ticked him off? Well, then that would be the end of this job.  
  
He gave a smirk before getting up and going downstairs.  
  
As he sat down at the table, Marianne noticed a slight change in the aura around him. Vash almost stiffened at that.  
  
"Mr. Vash? Is something wrong?" She asked him.  
  
"No nothing." He said, putting on a bit of a goofy smile. The whole time he was plotting a way to kill Erics for this moment.  
  
"Ok." She said, turning her attention away from him. Vash almost gave a relieved sigh, but held back.  
  
See, Vash wasn't one to show any kind of emotion. Unless, the people around him saw Erics first, then he would pretend to be a happy-go-lucky idiot for awhile.  
  
Vash glanced around the house. Something wasn't right. Even if this man did make money from water, he shouldn't be THIS rich.  
  
"Is something wrong?" Mr. Cliff asked.  
  
"I was just wondering, if water is this profitable?" Vash asked.  
  
"You see. There has been a shortage on water. Since I supple the water, and am the only one in around here who has water, I receive all the profits from it." He explained.  
  
"I see." Vash said.  
  
'So. You raise the prices to extreme amounts and get money that way? No. He must be using the water in a different way to be this rich... wait. I'm not a do-gooder, so why the hell am I worring about these people's water? Erics must be having some effect on me. I'm growing too soft.' Vash thought to himself.  
  
Vash knew all about Erics. He could watch the world from Erics' eyes. But, Erics has no idea he was there. Vash made sure of it since the first day he was born, that Erics had no idea about his other side.  
  
Vash put his fork through the peice of meat on his plate. He was going to eat, protect these people, get paid and leave. That was all he was planning.   
  
"You see my boy. If I don't protect the water here, someone could use it and dry it up." Mr. Cliff said.  
  
"But that doesn't help the fact that you're becomming rich over a natural resource." Marianne said.  
  
"Yes, I suppose you're right dear." He said, smiling.  
  
"Excuse me, but I think I'll retire soon." She said, getting up from the table and leaving.  
  
Vash took a glance at her. Then continued eating. It wasn't his problem the girl didn't want to eat. Once he was finished, he left the table and walked around the halls. He might as well stretch his legs while he was at it.  
  
He started to walk around the corner, when he saw Miss. Marianne. She was sneaking around Mr. Cliff's study. Vash narrowed his eyes.  
  
'So. I was right.' he thought to himself. He turned around and walked back to his room. It was time for some action.   
  
*******  
Ten minutes Later  
*******  
  
Vash, or rather Erics was asleep on his bed. Snoring away until Meryl and Milly ran into his room.  
  
"huh.. what?" He started before being hit upside the head.  
  
"Whatcha do that for?" He whinned, grabbing his head.  
  
"What kind of body guard are you? You're asleep while everyone is missing!" Meryl said.  
  
"Body guard.. Oh yeah! Everyone's missing?" he asked. He stood and continued in a deep voice. "Leave it to me! I shall figure out this puzzle!"  
  
"yeah right." She said. Meryl and Milly walked out the room. Erics grinned and followed after them. he had nothing better to do.. right?  
  
They met up in the living room.  
  
"There's no sign of anyone." Meryl said.  
  
"Do you think they were kidnapped?" Erics asked.  
  
"We were outside the whole time. i think that's impossible." Meryl said.   
  
"Oh! I'm so worried!" He started. Then walked over to the curtain. "They've been taken away somehow through some unknown way! As a body guard it's my job to find them and bring whoever took them to justice!"  
  
"Don't kid yourself. You're not a real body guard after all. Besides, with the real Vash out there, I think we might have bigger problems." Meryl said.  
  
"The real Vash hasn't harmed me so far, so don't worry about him right now."Erics said grinning.  
  
"So, you really think Vash the Stampede is following you?" Meryl questioned.  
  
"I'm sure of it!" Erics said, flinging his arms into the air. His arm got tangled up with the curtain rope, and he tripped over the table while tring to get out of it. He pulled it down with him.  
  
The curtains opened along with a secert passage way.  
  
"WOW! COOL!" Erics exclaimed and ran into the passage way like an excitied little kid.  
  
"Wait! We don't know what's down there!" Meryl said.  
  
Milly grabbed her wrist. "Come on Meryl! We have to follow Mr. Vash."   
  
Meryl gave up and went with them.  
  
********  
Down the passge way  
********  
  
Erics, Meryl and Milly watched from around a corner. Miss. Marianne was being stepped on by Mr. Cliff.  
  
"No way." Erics said, whispering to them. "I've got to stop them. Hold on. I'll sneak up on them."  
  
"Ok, but be careful." Meryl said.  
  
Erics walked out onto the water machine. He carefully walked across until he got to the middle, then he slipped.  
  
"AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" He screamed as he slipped.  
  
They all looked at him. He slipped and fell into the water. While down there he hit his head on the bottom. He blinked. He was Vash again.  
  
Vash clentched his teeth as he made his way to the middle. He pushed himself up and grabbed onto the side. He looked up at both of them.  
  
"Hello." he said calmly.  
  
"idiot." Miss. Marianne whispered.  
  
"So, you came to play the Hero did you?" Mr. Cliff said.  
  
"Not really." Vash answered. He jumped out and onto the ground. "I'm only doing my job."  
  
"Fine, then. Die." Mr. Cliff said. He aimed his gun at him, the fired.  
  
Vash dodged it easily. "Is that all you got?"  
  
"H-How.. could you?" Mr. Cliff asked, then started firing again.  
  
Vash dodged them all and ran up to Mr. Cliff. he grabbed Mr. Cliff's gun from his hand, then pushed him back.  
  
"You might want to take target practice." Vash said, throwing the gun over his shoulder like it was nothing.  
  
"hehe.. I guess I was right in hiring you. Won't you agree?" He said, pulling open his coat, revealing four guns.  
  
Vash narrowed his eyes and jumped out of the way. He grabbed a peice of chipped off ice and threw it at Mr. Cliff.   
  
The guns hit the Machine behind Vash. Vash landed and walked Over to Miss. Marianne.  
  
"You might want to hold your breath." He said.  
  
They all saw the Machine blow up.   
  
*************  
Later that day  
*************  
  
"The water just overflowed that's all." Miss. Marianne said.  
  
"Wow. That's a lot of water." Erics commented.  
  
"Hey. Did you dodge all those bullets on purpose or was it a fluke?" Miss. Marianne asked Erics.  
  
"Bullets?" Erics asked, then fainted.  
  
They all stared at him with wide eyes.  
  
Meryl shook her head. "Is guy is starting to give me a headache."  
  
***********************  
  
Yeah, I know. ^_^ Erics is a total dweeb! Remember he doesn't know what happens when Vash is in control, so he's not sure what happened. I hope you like this chapter! Please review!!!!! 


	5. Erics, the Brave

Thank you all for reviewing my story! ^_^  
  
*********************  
  
Two in the same boat  
  
*********************  
  
Part 5- Erics, the brave  
  
Meryl and Milly dragged Erics to the next town. He was still passed out. They dropped him off at the hotel, while they search the town for Vash the Stampede.  
  
Erics slowly woke up, taking in the world around him. He blinked a few times to clear his vision. Then, he sat up.  
  
"Where am I?" He asked himself. He yawned and got up. He looked over at a small desk that was in the room. There was a note. He picked it up and read it.  
  
'Dear Mr. Erics,  
  
Milly and I have brought you to a hotel after you fainted. We are in the next town. We are currently out, looking for Vash. Don't worry about us.  
  
-Meryl'  
  
Erics scratched his head in thought, before putting the note down. He put on his boots, strapped on his gun-hoster, put the gun in it and went out.   
  
'Might as well see what the town looks like.' He thought to himself. This sure wasn't a quiet town either.  
  
He could hear all the noises from his hotelroom. People were out shopping, Kids were running around playing and he was on a search to find a donut shop.   
  
He walked down the streets, sniffing the air and following his nose to the donut shop. Drool was dripping from the corner of his mouth. Donuts were, after all, his favorite food.   
  
He quickly ran to the shop window and started drooling on the window. His face was pressed against the window, looking at all the donuts on display.   
  
he ran into the shop and up to the counter. "Miss? May I have a dozen donuts?"   
  
"Sure thing." She said, grabbing a baker's dozen box and putting the donuts in. She handed them to Vash. "That's $$5."  
  
"Ok." He answered back, digging into his pockets. he pulled out the money and handed it to her. He quickly took the box and walked outside. He opened the box, smelling the freash scent of Donuts.His stomach grumbled. He was going to enjoy every bite!  
  
He picked out the best looking one of the whole box. He brought it to his nose and took a deep breath.  
  
"Ah! Nothing like the smell of freash baked Donuts to make me feel good." he said to himself. he brought the donut to his lips, but before he could, someone shot it!  
  
The bullet made the donut blow apart and smear all over his face and on his coat. Erics blinked in confusion, before turning to the person who just shot at him.  
  
"Hello Vash the Stampede." Said the man holding the rifle. He was a tall man, about the same height as Erics. His long black hair tied back into a single pony-tail. His white shirt was covered over by a long trench coat that reached to his ankles. It was wide open. He smirked at him.  
  
"Vash?! I'm not Vash!" Erics yelled, holding up his hands in the universal sign of 'don't hurt me!'  
  
"You're just like the rumors. A tall man with blonde hair and a red coat. I know it's you. You can't fool me." He said, loading up his gun.  
  
"I'm NOT VASH!" Erics yelled, before turning. he ran like hell out of there! There was no way he was going to get shot up!  
  
The man quickly chased after him. Erics ran down the road, trying to loose the man that was hot on his tail.   
  
Erics ran down a dark alley way and hid in the shadows. The man quickly followed Erics in the alley way. He stopped and looked around.  
  
"You're not going to trick me." He said with a sneer. He looked down at the ground and followed Erics' foot prints right to him.  
  
"Oh crap!" Erics shouted, running again. He quickly went around a corner, a bullet whizzing by his head. Erics ran down a straight road. he knew it wasn't the smartest thing to do, but his brain wasn't working correctly right now. All he wanted to do was to run.  
  
Erics quickly jumped into a local Saloon. He ducked down under the bar counter and looked up at the tender.  
  
"You gotta help me! That man is nuts! Please don't tell on me!" Erics asked with puppy-dog eyes.  
  
"Sure pal.." The Tender said back. He turned to the door, to see who was chasing after this idiot.  
  
The Man walked in and looked around. He growled in fustration. "Where is he?"   
  
"Where is who sir?" the tender asked.   
  
Everyone in the bar didn't really care about this. Most of then didn't even see the man in the red coat jump in there.  
  
"Vash the Stampede!" The man yelled at the Tender.  
  
The Tender gasped. "H-He's Vash?"   
  
"Yes! Now where is he?" The man shouted at the tender.   
  
The Tender shook off his shock. "I saw him pass by. He went out the back away."  
  
"Thanks." He said, running out the back.   
  
Erics gave a huge sigh. He stood up to shake the man's hand. "Thank you sir! See! That guy is nuts! He thinks I'M Vash!"  
  
The Tender slapped Erics hand away. "I don't need any thanks. Just get out of my bar."  
  
Erics stummbled out of the bar. Mainly because people were pushing him out. Erics sighed while he stood out there, then a bullet hit the pole that was right by his head!  
  
Erics turned to see the man, holding a child in his arms.  
  
"Now Vash. You wouldn't want me to harm this child would you?" He asked, with an evil smile on his face. He put his gun to the kid's temple. The child screamed in fright.  
  
"Let him go!" Erics yelled at the man.  
  
"Not until you agree to fight me!" The man shouted back.  
  
Most of the people around the area stood on the sidelines, watching this happen. Everyone in the bar came out to watch too. Erics clentched his teeth. He didn't want someone to get hurt!  
  
Erics stood in the street, across from the man. "Put the kid down and I'll fight you if you want too.."  
  
"Alright." The man put the kid down. The kid ran to his mom's arms. Meryl and Milly had heard about the fight and showed up.  
  
"Mr. Erics!" Meryl shouted at him.  
  
Erics smiled at them. "I'll be fine... hopefully.."  
  
"Ha ha! If the rumors are true, I will be the one to die Vash the Stampede!" The man shouted.  
  
"The name is Erics!" Erics shouted at him. He put his hand, hovering over his gun. His eye twitched. He really wasn't good at shooting a gun... or even holding one for that matter!  
  
Erics gulped as the man reached his gun. Erics quickly took his gun out with speed he didn't even know he had. He fired at the man.   
  
The Man fired his gun.  
  
Erics' eye twitched. He felt a stinging pain. He slowly feel to his knees, then fell on the ground.  
  
The man smiled evily.  
  
((And I COULD stop it there! But.. I won't!))  
  
Everyone in the crowd gasped.  
  
"How could you! He wasn't Vash!" Meryl yelled at the man.  
  
"That's right sir! You were mistaken!" Milly shouted at the man too.   
  
"Shut up you wenches!" The man shouted at them. He smiled, before walking up to Erics. "And here I thought you would be a challendge."  
  
Meryl ran out to the man and slapped him. "I can't believe you! He wasn't Vash! He was Erics! A kind man who did nothing wrong!"   
  
The man sneered at Meryl, before slapping her across the face. "WHy you! I know for a fact that this man is Vash! I meet him before. He killed my brother! I'd never forget that man's face. Not in a million years!"  
  
The man walked up to Meryl who was on the ground from the blow. He stepped on her back. "Know.. you die too." He put his gun to her back.  
  
Erics.. or rather Vash's eyelids twitch. He opened his eyes. He heard what the man said. He growled in the ground.  
  
'How dare he hit Meryl!!!!' Vash thought to himself. He jumped up and grabbed the man's arm. He twisted it till it broke. It hung useless by the man's side.  
  
"How dare you hit her!" Vash yelled, back handing the man. "How do you like it?!"  
  
Vash stepped on the man's back. He pulled out his gun. He pointed it at the back of the man's head. "Now.. play dead.."  
  
Before be pulled the trigger, Meryl grabbed his arm. "Please.. don't.."  
  
Vash looked into her eyes. They were full of fear, pain.. He couldn't say no to them. He felt like that inside a lot..   
  
Something snapped inside of him. He turned back into Erics. He blinked to clear his mind. He put his gun away and stepped away from the man.  
  
"I'm sorry... but.. I wasn't the one who killed your brother." Erics said. "And.. I'm sorry about your arm.."  
  
Erics tried to help the man up, but before he could, he fainted.  
  
*********************** 


	6. The spilt

Thank you all for reviewing my story! ^_^  
  
*********************  
  
Two in the same boat  
  
*********************  
  
Part 6- The spilt  
  
Erics layed asleep in the bed, passed out from all his activities. The wound wasn't that bad. It wasn't life threating atleast, for the moment. Meryl and Milly had bandaged him up. They placed him in a bed in a hotel room. Everyone was a little more weary of them now.   
  
Meryl sat down, sipping her tea. Milly was sitting across for her. Their topic at hand, was Erics.  
  
"Did you see the change in his eyes?" Milly asked her.  
  
"I did. I never thought I'd see such a cold look in his eyes. It's almost as if he was Vash the Stampede." Meryl said with a shudder.  
  
"I think he is and he doesn't know it." Milly said, looking at the sleeping Erics.  
  
"What do you mean?" Meryl questioned.  
  
"I believe it's called Spilt personalities. It's when two completely different people are in the same body." Milly said, looking up thoughtfully. Her every lasting cheerfullness still in place.  
  
"I guess you could be right. He does seem to be two different people at times." Meryl said, looking at the sleeping erics. Erics mumbled something about chasing after a donut, before rolling over. Meryl couldn't help but smile and shake her head at him. "At times he's as gentle as a kitten.. and others.. he's the stampede."  
  
"Do you think we should tell him Meryl?" Milly asked.  
  
"I don't know... I think he would be heart broken if he knew what his other side did... Wait a second! Do you think the Vash side of him knows about the other?" Meryl questioned Milly. She stood up to show her strong emotion.  
  
"I.. really don't know Meryl. We could question him.." Milly said.  
  
"Yeah.."   
  
******  
  
Vash woke up with a stinging pain. He barely opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. He gave a deep sigh.  
  
'Why is it that Erics always gets himself into trouble? How does he do it all the time?!' Vash asked himself.  
  
Then something hit him.. 'Wait.. how did I get into a hotel room if I passed out in the street?'  
  
He sat up slowly, he didn't want to re-open his wound. He looked around the room and spotted Meryl's back. She was apparently cooking something. The freash scent of herbs and spices reached his nose and made his stomach growl.  
  
Vash waited for Meryl to turn before speaking. Meryl slowly turned around. Her eyes widen in surprise for only a seconds, but a gentle smile took over her shock.  
  
"I'm glad you're awake Mr. Erics." She said, bringing the bowl of soup over to him.  
  
"How did I get into this room?" Vash questioned, his eyes never leaving her.  
  
'Ok.. He's straight to the point.. on nerves.. He must be Vash right now' Meryl thought to herself. She took a breath to build up her courage.  
  
She walked over to him and placed the bowl in his lap. "It's a bit hot right now, but I hope you like it... Mr. Vash the stampede."  
  
Vash's eyes snapped open. She figured it out! He stared at her in shock, before a slight chuckle came from his throat. "So.. you figured it out?"  
  
"Yes.. I'm sorry if you didn't want me to find out but-" Before she could continue, vash put a finger to her lips to quiet her.  
  
"It took you long enough. Now that you know, there are some ground rules you have to follow." Vash said, taking his finger off her lips. He took the spoon in his hand and took a sip of the soup. "For one thing, Erics doesn't know about me. Don't you dare tell him."   
  
Meryl nodded.  
  
"Second, now that you know I'm Vash, you will treat me with the respect I demand. got it?" He said, glaring at her coldly.  
  
Meryl felt a cold chill go down her spine. She nodded again.  
  
"And last, try to make sure Erics doesn't get shot, stabbed and above all else, killed. I am after all in his body. I don't want him to kill me off." Vash said, taking another sip of the soup.  
  
"That's my job. I have to make sure to stop all damages you cause or.. to lessen the damage." Meryl explained, sitting down next to him.  
  
"And you did a wonderful job today." He said, rolling his eyes. He glanced at her cheek. It was a bit puffy and red. It looked like it was beginning to bruise already. Vash put down the spoon and reached up to her face. She flinched a little. He gently stroked her cheek with his thumb while his fingers held her chin. "That bastard.. how could he ruinin such a beautiful face?"  
  
Meryl gave a deep blush at that. She had to look away because she was so embrassed. "T-Thank you M-Mr. Vash.."  
  
Vash gave an almost chilling smile. "Your welcome."  
  
Meryl had the sudden urge to flea the room at all costs, when Milly walked in. She smiled at the couple.  
  
"Hello! I brought some pudding. Would you like some Mr. Erics?" Milly questioned with her cheerful smile in place.  
  
Vash leaned towards Meryl and whispered, "Does she know?"  
  
Meryl nodded. Vash looked up at Milly.  
  
"Oh... it's Mr. Vash. He does know about Mr. Erics right Meryl?" Milly questioned, while getting a spoon so she could eat her pudding.  
  
"Yes.. he knows." Meryl said with a sweatdrop on her head.  
  
"Sometimes I wonder about that girl.." Vash mumbled just loud enough for Meryl to hear.  
  
Meryl couldn't help but smile at that. She also sometimes wondered about Milly.  
  
*********  
  
Vash looked out the window at the people below. He couldn't wait to get out of there. He didn't like staying in one place too long. It just got on his nervous that's all. He also wondered why Erics didn't take control over him yet. Usually Erics would get control back. Maybe the whole getting shot thing really got to him?  
  
Vash sighed as he looked down at his wound. He wouldn't be able to move on his own for a few more days. It was just a bullet in the side, but he didn't want it to re-open. That would really suck for him.  
  
"I have soup ready. You want some?" Meryl asked him. It had been two days since she admitted knowing about Vash. She was on edge whenever he was in the room now. She had THE stamped around her for crying out loud! He wasn't AS bad as the rumors.. but he could send a chill down her spine with just a look.  
  
"I wonder... why hasn't Erics taken over." Vash said outloud, wondering if the woman before him could help in his question.  
  
"Erics is an idiot most of the time. But he was real brave back there. he would have given his life for those people. I think all the stree drained him that's all. I'm sure in time he will come back." Meryl said, getting a bowl ready for him in case he wanted some.  
  
"I guess. It's just not like him to stay out of control for so long.." Vash said, looking at Meryl.  
  
Meryl's eyes couldn't help but soften. 'He cares about Erics doesn't he?'   
  
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Vash asked, getting angry.  
  
"Oh.. no reason at all." Meryl answered with a nervous smile. She quickly handed him the soup. "I hope you like it. I'll be back to check on you in a little while."  
  
Vash brought his soup to his lips and it burned them. Suddenly, he turned back into Erics. "YEOWWWWW!" He yelled, dropping the spoon right into the bowl, which then turned over right in his lap. The hot liquid seeped through the sheets and onto his bare flesh. he was only wearing his loose PJs.   
  
Erics jumped up, almost opening his wound and started to run around the room screaming 'HOT!'  
  
Meryl did an anime fall. She straightened herself up and glared at him. She couldn't help it. After a few seconds she started to laugh. She was finally off edge for once in the last two days.  
  
"Oh Insurance girl! Hiya!" Erics said, waving to her. Then noticed he was in his PJs. he got shy and tried to hide himself.  
  
"It's alright Mr. Erics. I've been helping you recover from the fight you had. I've seen you in those for awhile now." Meryl said, getting up to clean up his mess.  
  
"You have.. Oh wait! You mean the guy.. " Erics ran over to her and gentle held her chin in his hand. He looked at her slightly bruise cheek. "Oh.. does it hurt?"   
  
"Of course it hurts you baka!" Meryl shouted hitting Erics on the head. 'I think I liked it better when he was Vash.'  
  
"Owwwww.." Erics said, sitting back down on the bed. "My side hurts."  
  
"Did you reopen your wound?" Meryl asked, going to check it. Erics stayed still and watched her while he did that. Once Meryl checked his wound, she looked up into his eyes. Erics looked into hers.  
  
"... Did you know you have soup on your face?" Erics questioned her.  
  
Meryl felt like bashing him on the head a thousand times! They just had a slightly romanic moment and he had to blow it! She growled at him.  
  
Erics held up his hands in defence. "Sorry Insurance girl!"  
  
"Nevermind!" Meryl screamed throwing her hands into the air. She walked out of the room, slamming the door on the way out.  
  
Erics blinked. ".. I made her angry.. oops.."  
  
He sighed to himself and looked down at the wound. 'I remember.. I hurt that man.. but.. he hurt Meryl.. I couldn't let him do that!'   
  
Erics sighed to himself and laid back against the backbaord of the bed. Maybe something is wrong with him. Maybe that's why sometimes he would go days without knowing what happened. He got used to it after awhile. Having gaps in his memory. It was just an ordinary thing to him now.   
  
But at first, he hated not knowing what happened between the times. Now, it was simply a normal thing.  
  
Milly walked into the room. She stared at Erics for a second. Erics blinked.  
  
"Hiya!" Erics said, waving at Milly with a cheerful smile on his face.  
  
Milly smiled back. "Hello! It's nice to see you Mr. Erics."   
  
"Thank you. You too Insurance girl. Hey, if the other one still mad at me?" Erics questioned.  
  
"Oh you mean Meryl? She's a bit upset, but that's how she usually is anyway. I wanted to ask you something." Milly said, sitting down next to him.  
  
"What's that?" Erics questioned.  
  
"Well, do you remember what happened between the time you fainted and just a few minutes ago?" Milly asked him.  
  
"No. Can you tell me what happened?" Erics asked her.  
  
Milly had a confused look on her face before she stood up. "Muffin!"  
  
"Huh? What does that mean?" Erics questioned.  
  
"It means nothing.. hehe.. I'll go check on Meryl." Milly said, almost running out of the room.  
  
Erics looked at the door. 'Something is going on. And I want to know what.'  
  
*********************** 


	7. A strange happening

Thank you all for reviewing my story! ^_^  
  
((This is probably my favorite chapter in this story so far!))  
  
*********************  
  
Two in the same boat  
  
*********************  
  
Part 7- An strange happening  
  
Erics, Meryl and Milly talked peacfully at the table for dinner that night. Erics though it was a little too quiet, but didn't push for an answer to his unanswered questions. There were more important matters.  
  
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY DON'T HAVE A DONUT SHOP IN THIS TOWN?!" Erics asked as if they were telling him he only had a day to live.  
  
"Just what I said. They don't have one. Well, they do, but they are all out." Meryl answered, sipping her coffee lightly.  
  
Erics fell back into his chair like he just heard the most shocking news of his life.  
  
'Could this man love donuts THAT much?!' Meryl asked herself, not really believeing what she was seeing. Here, Vash the Stampede's other half was whinning like a brat over donuts?! Sometimes she wanted to pinch herself to see if she was dreaming.  
  
"I'm sure they will mave freash donuts tomorrow Mr. Erics." Milly said in her upbeat tone of voice. "They can't be out all the time."  
  
"I guess you're right." Erics answered, with a sigh. Erics reached to to scartch his wound. It was plain ichy!   
  
"Erics! Don't you dare." Meryl warned him. She didn't even look up from her cup. "I told you a thousand times before that you cannot touch that wound."  
  
"But.. But.. It's ICHY!" He said, trying his hardest not to scartch the wound. He felt like he could feel it healing and it was bugging him to death! "It's driving my NUTS!"  
  
Meryl hit Erics in the bad of the end. "AND YOU'RE DRIVING ME NUTS!"  
  
Erics stay still for a few second. His eyes were hidden and he was sporting a lump on his head. Meryl and Milly paused. They looked at each other. Did he turn into Vash again? Meryl gulped. She didn't like Vash very much! He was scary!  
  
Just then, Erics looked up. His eyes were swirly and he fell onto the ground. "owwwww..."  
  
Meryl and Milly shared a sigh of releif. It was still Erics. Meryl little smiled down at the goofball. "Get up."  
  
Erics obeyed, afraid that Meryl would hit him again. He sat back down in the chair.   
  
"Lift up your shirt." Meryl instructed. Erics blinked at her. "I need to check your wound."  
  
"Alright." Erics answered with a smile. He lifted up his shirt to reveil the bandages around his side. Meryl lightly unwrapped the bandages. Meryl looked at his wound. It was healing faster then anyone else's wound she had ever seen! It was nearly completely shut, but it could still open if he moved too sudden.  
  
Meryl grabbed a cloth, and put some medication on it. She lightly and gently rubbed it into the wound. Then, she put new gaze on the wound.  
  
The whole time, Erics was watching her. Milly had smiled at the two before leaving the room. She wanted though two to have some time together.  
  
"All done." Meryl said as she finished the wrapping. She looked up at Erics. He had tears brimming his eyes. Meryl was taken aback by this. "What's wrong? Did it hurt?"  
  
"No.. just that.." Then he started sobbing. "You're so kind to me!"  
  
Meryl had a huge sweatdrop going down the back of her head. Erics continued to sob like a baby. It was almost comical how he was crying. She had never seen a man cry as much as this one did.  
  
"Will you stop sobbing already?" Meryl asked him.  
  
He stopped as soon as she finished her sentence. He grinned up at Meryl. "I'm glad I ran into you and the big girl. You're both very nice."  
  
"Thank you." Meryl said, smiling in return. Sometimes, Erics could be sweet.  
  
Erics started doing something weird. His noise wringled up and his eyes started to shut. Meryl took a step back.   
  
"Ahhh...ahhh... AHHCHOOO!" Erics shouted as he sneezed.  
  
Meryl looked at the snout covered in snot, in horror. She grabbed a napkin and handed to him. He took it and wiped away everything. He then threw away the napkin. Meryl looked down at him and into his eyes.  
  
He was Vash again.  
  
"Hello." Vash said, before smirking up at her.  
  
"Hi." Meryl answered back. "umm.. I.. I have to go find Milly. You'll be alright by yourself, right?"  
  
Vash's eyes narrowed a little. "I thought you would stay for awhile. I just got here.. sorta speak."  
  
"I know. I'm sorry." Meryl answered right away.   
  
"It's alright." Then he sighed. "I'll go take a nap. If that idiot is the one that wakes up, please, Hit him upside the head so I will return. I don't need him making this wound any worse then it is."  
  
"I've.. I've been meaning to ask you about it." Meryl said tentively.  
  
"What about it?" Vash questioned, getting up and walking over to the bed. His pace was slow and it looked like he hurt everytime his foot touched the ground.  
  
"How can you heal so fast?" Meryl questioned quickly.  
  
Vash stopped in his walk. He slowly turned to Meryl. Meryl felt her stomach squeeze together and her heart nearly stop. He was smirking. An evil smirk.  
  
"That's because, I'm not human." Vash answered. He turned straight to Meryl. His whole body in her veiw. Meryl wanted to flee. She wanted to run from this man. But, her feet weren't getting the message to start up. Her whole body was rigid. Her breath was short and ragget.  
  
"You're not scared of me... are you?" Vash asked with his smirk growing. He stalked up to her. He stopped only an inch away from touching her chest with his own. "Tell me.. do I frighten you?"  
  
Meryl slightly nodded. She couldn't do much esle. Her mouth completely shut down and her legs were stiff. They wouldn't move either. Nothing in her body was listening to her screaming mind.  
  
Vash's smirk widen even more. It reached his eyes now. They sparkled in a way that would either make you pee yourself in fear, or for women, make you melt away. Meryl simple shivered as if it was cold in the 90* room. Vash did something that in a million years, Meryl wouldn't forget.  
  
He bent down and touched his lips with hers. He reach his right hand behind her neck, holding her to him. His left hand traveled around her waist and pinned her small frame against his broad one.   
  
Meryl felt her arms moving. 'Finally! About time you started moving!' Meryl yelled at her arms. But.. they didn't do what she wanted. It was as if they had a mind of their own. They moved around Vash's neck.   
  
She could feel the corners of Vash's lips turning into a smile. It made her feel abit sick with herself for giving into him, but it also made her feel happy that he enjoyed the kiss.   
  
Vash opened his mouth and started to nip at Meryl's lower lip. Each time he did, it sent shivers down her spine. Vash's left hand traveled up, his thumb going under Meryl's shirt. He started to stroke her back, making her have goosebumps travel down her arms. It seemed no matter what he was doing, it made her feel good inside.  
  
Meryl's own arms started to move on their own again. They traveled down his braod chest, pausing on scars. She would trace the outline of them with her fingers. She continued to move downward.  
  
Vash was busy working his own magic on her body. His hand travel under her shirt and up her back. He reached the strap of her bra. He was about unclip it, when he felt a pain travel like a lightening bolt through his body. Meryl had accidently touched his wound. It caused him to reel back, braking all contact with her.  
  
Meryl's eyes widen. Not from the pain she had caused in the man in front of her, but her actions of the kiss. She couldn't believe she gave in that easily to a man she hardly knew! She then glared at the man before her.  
  
He looked up, both his hands on his wound. It made her feel bad about hitting the wound. She reached out to help him in his pain. She stared up at his eyes. He was Erics again.  
  
"Are you alright?" Meryl asked him.  
  
"Yeah. I guess I am. But... why do I suddenly have the urge to... umm.. how should I put this? Hop on the good foot and do the bad thing." Erics questioned her, looking into her eyes.  
  
Meryl felt her cheeks flare up in heat. How could she answer such a question?!  
  
"Umm.. well... Umm.." Then her mind turned back on. "How the hell should I know?"  
  
Erics scartched his head in thought. "Umm.. I don't know.. just that.. how long was I out of it?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Meryl questioned tintivly.  
  
"Well, I have another gap in my memory. See... I have a problem. For some strange reason, I have gaps in my memory. Sometimes, days pass by where I end up who knows where! I have no idea how I got there.. or what day it is..." Erics said, sitting down on the bed. It was starting to bother him more and more that he couldn't remember.  
  
"I wish I could help.." Meryl said, unaware of what she just said.  
  
"You can! Tell me what happened, like a minute before I snapped out of it." Erics said, getting excitied. Finally! Some answers!  
  
Meryl gulps. There were two very good reasons why she couldn't tell him what he was doing. For one, Vash would kill her. And Two, her pride on was the stake! If he found out she was making out with his other self... what would he say?!  
  
"I.. Well.. You were just.. talking to me for a minute, then started walking back to the bed.. Then you turned to me.. and snapped out of it.. That's all." Meryl answered, keeping the 'bad' things.  
  
"Did.. Did I act differant or anything?" Erics questioned.  
  
"Umm.. well.. A little. You were more.. serious.. but that's it." Meryl answered quickly. She didn't want Vash to be angry at her for giving out too many details.  
  
"Oh.. ok. Thanks Meryl. You've been a big help. If there is anything at all.. and I mean ANYTHING I could help you out with, just name it." Erics answered with his trademark grin.  
  
"It's ok." Meryl answered back. "You just get some rest and I'll clean up the dishes. Don't worry about a thing."  
  
"Alright." Erics answered, grinning at her one more time, before settling down in the bed. He covered himself with a blanket before falling asleep.  
  
Meryl sighed. She hoped that Vash wouldn't be angry with her. That was the last thing she needed.  
  
***********************  
  
::giggles:: How did everyone like the 'sweet' moment with Vash and Meryl? Can anyone say 'It's getting hot in here?'   
  
Vash will be appearing in more often for the next few chapters. Do you guys think I should start working this story into the show? You know. Putting this version of Vash into the Trigun line? Well, for a few chapters have them have the same plot as the show, but change a few things around.  
  
Tell me what you think! PLEASE!!!!  
  
PLEASE REVIEW!!! ((And if you read the note above put 'K.R.' somewhere in your review please. Thanks!)) 


	8. Vash's Kind Streak

Thank you all for reviewing my story! ^_^  
  
*********************  
  
Two in the same boat  
  
*********************  
  
Part 8- Vash's Kind Streak  
  
Erics glanced at Meryl again. Meryl had been watching him from the corner of her eye. He had the strange urges to glance at her, which were really ticking Meryl off.  
  
"What is it?" Meryl finally questioned him.  
  
"Umm... just that your lower lip.. it's kinda.. puffy.." He answered, pointing to her mouth.  
  
Meryl resisted the urge to blush, trying ot hold it back. "Really?" She questioned with fake innocence. She stood up. "I'll go check it out in the bathroom. You can wait right here."  
  
Erics blinked in confusion. Did he say something wrong? "Umm ok."  
  
He watched as Meryl practically ran to the bathroom. Now he was even more confused. He sat on the bed, crossing his legs, and now he was biting down on his tumb in thought. 'There must be something they aren't telling me! I just know I turn into someone else! But.. who?'  
  
He sighed. All this thinking was making him hungry! He started to play with the bed sheets to ease his boredom, until Meryl came out of the bathroom. Her lip was no longer as puffy, but there was a small differance in it's regular size. And it was also wet. She probably put cold water on it.  
  
"hey Insurance girl? Do you think we could go out to eat? I think I can walk to the nearest Saloon just fine." Erics asked.  
  
"I don't know. You seem to be able to walk small distances. Do you really think you can walk that far?" Meryl questioned. She was starting to wonder where in the world Milly was.  
  
"I think I can make it." Erics said, grinning. He slowly stood up from the bed and walked around the room in a slow pace, that reminded Meryl of an old person walking. "I can move just fine. It's just certain movements hurt more then others."  
  
"Well, if you can get dressed without killing yourself, I'll take you." Meryl said, sighing. She turned around to give him som privacy while he got changed.  
  
Erics carefully lifted his shirt over his head and threw it into the dirty pile on the floor. He opened his bag and looked around for anything that was loose fitting. He would often need some loose clothes when his coat was being cleaned. He found a grey, long sleeved shirt. It was button-down shirt and fit him pretty well.  
  
He pulled both sleeves on, but didn't button it up just yet. He liked it un-buttoned. He slowly wiggled out of his PJ pants. He then threw them to the dirty pile. He reached into his bag and found a pair of dark grey jeans. They were alittle, too tight and came too close to his wound. He stuffed them back into his bag.  
  
He searched around for something else. Then he found them. Pants that he never even wore before. They were loose, blue jeans that would most likely fall from his waist if he wore them. He didn't mind. He could always wear a belt.  
  
He put on the very loose jeans, then grabbed his belt. He put the belt on, but kept it loose enough so that he could easily become bloated and not have his jeans strangle him.   
  
This is why he bought these jeans. So, if he ever had a wound he could wear these. He never had a wound that was so bad that he couldn't wear his regular clothes. Well, almost never.  
  
"I'm done." he said to Meryl, remembering that she was in the room. She turned around to Erics, who was buttoning up his grey shirt. She got a very good look at his chest while he was doing that.  
  
"Let's wait awhile to see if Milly gets back." Meryl said, sitting down in the chair, never taking her eyes off of Erics. In her mind, he looked pretty darn good!  
  
"Alright." he answered back. He sat down on the bed.  
  
'When did he become so calm?' Meryl asked herself. He had been behaving a bit differant lately. She figured it must be the wound. He didn't want to open it.  
  
Erics' stomach rumbled in hunger. He clutched his stomach. "I'm so Hungry!" He was back to his whinny self again. The strange thing was, Meryl wouldn't have had it any other way.  
  
***  
  
Milly pulled out the chair for Erics to sit in, he nodded his thanks to her for that. His eyes widen as he looked at the pictured menu. He was almost drooling!  
  
"Mr. Erics!" Meryl said, frowning at his behavior.   
  
Milly sat down and smiled to them. She knew right away that Meryl and Erics had a thing for each other. She just wondered how long it would take them to figure it out.   
  
"Mr. Erics. I'll go get the drinks. Do you want something?" Milly questioned.  
  
"Umm sure. A beer please!" He asked grinning.  
  
"Sure thing. You want anything Meryl?" Milly asked, turning to her partner.  
  
"Just a glass of water will do." Meryl said, shrugging. She didn't feel like getting drunk today. She still had work to do, now that they found Vash the Stampede.  
  
Erics tried to hold back all of his drooling, while looking over the menu. He scanned it here and there, seeing what looked like the best selection.   
  
"'Cuse me ma'am and sir. Are you ready to order?" Asked a waitress. Her soft accent was noticable in her voice.  
  
Erics looked up at her. "Umm.. Salmon sandwitches. A plate full of them please." He smiled up at her.   
  
She nodded down at him, then wrote it down on a pad. She turned to Meryl.   
  
"Same, I guess." Meryl answered back.  
  
The waitress wrote that down again, and looked around. "I thought there were three of you."   
  
"Oh. there is. Milly is getting something to drink. She will ahve the same." Meryl said. Then added. "And some pudding on the side please."  
  
"Pudding?" The waitress questioned.  
  
Meryl shrugged and nodded. The waitress wrote it down and left the two alone again.   
  
Erics played with the fork on the table. Meryl watched him. He reminded her of a child most of the time. She had never seen a grown man act this way. Erics dropped his fork on the ground. Meryl and Erics went to pick it up and..  
  
*bump!*  
  
"Ouch." They both exclaimed. They sat up, rubbing their sore heads.   
  
"You ok?" Meryl questioned.  
  
"Just fine." Came the answer back. Her eyes widen. She looked up at him, he was Vash!  
  
"That's good." She said nervously.   
  
Vash smirked at her, then looked around. "Where am I?"  
  
"Oh. We're at the Saloon. Erics felt like going out to eat." Meryl answered back to him, keeping really calm.  
  
"Is that so?" Vash answered back. His stomach started to rumble a little. He sneered at his stomach before looking up at Meryl. "Where is the big girl?"  
  
"Oh. She went to get drinks." Meryl answered back. Meryl looked to the refil station. There was Milly standing there in a line, tring to get the drinks. She was two people away from getting the drinks. Meryl then looked back at Vash.  
  
Vash was currently holding his spoon in his right hand and flicking then end of it, making a strange sound from the vibarating spoon. He then became bored with that and set the spoon down. He sighed before looking up at Meryl.  
  
Meryl was in thought. 'It's amazing how similar and different both Erics and Vash are!'   
  
"Hey." Vash said, wanting to get her attention.  
  
"Yes?" Meryl questioned.  
  
"After this, do you want to pick up where we left off last time?" Vash questioned in an almost bored tone. He raised his eyebrow a little.  
  
Meryl's eyes widen and a blush spread across her face. She coughed in embrassment. "What?"  
  
Vash smirked at her in an odd way. 'I like this girl. She's very interesting.' He thought to himself. He was now aiming his concentraition on studing this woman. She had already proved herself to be usful, smart and a very good kisser. What else would a man need?   
  
"I'm back with the drinks." Milly chimed happily to the couple. She set down the two drinks. One was for Vash and the other for Meryl.  
  
"Umm Milly. There's only two here." Meryl said.  
  
"Oh darn. I forgot mine at the bar. Wait here." She said, keeping her upbeat mood. She walked back to the bar, leaving a very confused Vash and an embrassed Meryl.  
  
"She forgets sometimes." Meryl said as an excuse for her friend's weird behavior.  
  
Vash just shruged a little. He met a lot of stupid people before. Milly wasn't that bad. She just was a little,... short on some things.   
  
Vash shook his head slightly, almost to shake away his thoughts. He turned back to his empty napkin and silverware. He was very close to tring to see if he could stack these ontop of one another, until someone broke his thoughts.  
  
"Hey Miss. You wanna come join us?" Asked a man. He was clearly drunk from the looks of things and his friends urging him to continue his actions, weren't helping him at all.  
  
"No thank you." Meryl answered back, turned her nose up a little. She didn't like such men who washed themselves in beer and wine. It was nasty.  
  
"Come on! You know you want me." He said with a slurred voice. He was passed drunk. He got up out of his chair and walked... or rather stumbled across the room. "Just come wit me and half a deer." He slurred.   
  
He slung his arm over Meryl's shoulder and breathed near her face. Meryl's nose wrinkled up and she started gagging at the foul smell of bad breath mixed with cheap beer.  
  
She pushed him away, in which, he fell. "I am NOT that kind of woman!"  
  
He sneered at her and took a good 30 seconds to finally get up. "Listen hear you wench." He said, pointing to his eye. Vash rolled her eyes at the man's display. "I just asked you, you don't half to get all... pissy at me. I was just asking."  
  
"Then go ask someone else." Meryl said, turning away from the man.  
  
He didn't like that at all. He reached for his gun. Vash was up in a second. He grabbed the man's wrist and twisted it. The man dropped everything in his hands. One was holding a cheap beer, the other was just grazing his gun.  
  
Vash glared at the man. "I believe she said, to go ask someone else. She plainly does not want your company."  
  
"What would you know?" He questioned to him. His friends got up and backed their friend up. Two were drunk as the man Vash was aruging with and the other three were clearly sober.   
  
"I know a lot more then you, you drunken piece of shit. Now leave." Vash said, pushing the man back into his pack of friends behind him.  
  
"And what if we don't? What are you going to do?" The man asked.  
  
Before they could, the man who owned the Saloon hushed everyone. "EVERYONE! VASH THE STAMPEDE IS IN THIS TOWN!"  
  
EVeryone's jaw dropped a little, besides Meryl's, Vash's and Milly. Milly, knowing that Vash was now in control, did the worst thing she could possible do.  
  
"Hey! Everyone knows you're here Mr. Vash." She said, Happily to Vash. The place wasn't that big so her voice carried everywhere through the quiet room.  
  
Everyone stared at Vash. He glared at the men. "You going to leave now, or am I going to have to do to you, what I did you July?"  
  
Everyone gasped. The men ran out of there, quicker then anyone could blink. Vash smirked and went back to his seat. He sat down with a small sigh. "So Much for a peaceful outing."  
  
"Shouldn't we leave?" Meryl questioned.  
  
"Nah. I'm still hungry." He said.   
  
Milly came back with her drink and sat down. The Waitress came back with the food. Her hands were shaking. She set down everyone's plate.  
  
"Here' your food." She said, then left as quick as possible.   
  
Vash quickly started on his food. He was hungry after all. He then, took a sip of his drink. All the time he was very calm and didn't speak a word. Meryl and Milly weren't as hungry now. Everyone was staring at them.  
  
"What? Are you two not hungry anymore?" he questioned. "You're foods getting cold."  
  
"I can't eat." Meryl said. "Not with everyone staring at us."  
  
"Is that all?" He questioned. He turned in his chair to the crowd of people looking at them. "The next person who looks at me, without a reason, dies."   
  
Everyone turned around and stopped staring. Vash was sure one person wet their pants. That's when a child ran up to him. His mother was screaming at him to get back. Vash looked down at the child.  
  
"Are you really Vash the Stampede?" The boy questioned.  
  
"Yes." He answered back.  
  
"Wow. Mommy says you're a bad guy. But you don't look bad." The boy said.  
  
Vash smirked. "That's my trick. What's your name?"  
  
"Frances. But my friends call me 'Pockey' because that's my favorite food!" He exclaimed happily to Vash.  
  
"That's nice. My favorite food is Salmon Sandwitches." Vash said. he placed a hand on Pockey's head. He ruffled his hair a bit. "Now. I think your mother wants you back at the table."  
  
"Alright." he said in a dissapointed voice. He slowly went back over to his mother, who hugged him in as tight, Pockey was sure she was cutting off his airway.  
  
"Don't you ever do that again." She scorned at him.  
  
Vash turned back in his chair. He winced slightly. His wound was seething in pian right now. Moving so fast while still injured was always a bad idea. He chomped down on one more sandwitch before getting up. "You girls ready to leave?"  
  
"Sure." Meryl said. Milly nodded.  
  
"Can I get a bag for this?" She asked. The waitress nodded.   
  
Milly had eaten all of her pudding though. That was the only thing she ate. She then took the bag the waitress gave her and stuffed it full of the sandwitches that Meryl and her didn't eat. Vash has eaten all of his sandwitches.  
  
Pockey excaped from his mother's grasp and ran over to Vash again. "Will you play with me tomorrow?"  
  
Vash stared down at the boy. He wasn't as annoying at the other childern he had met, but still. He didn't like kids that much. "Don't you have kid friends of your own?"  
  
"No." He answered with a sigh. Then, he felt a hand on his head. He looked up at Vash.  
  
"Then, I think tomorrow would be a good day to try and make some. Don't you think?" Vash questioned to the boy.   
  
Pockey nodded happily at Vash. "I guess I could try."  
  
"Good." He turned to Meryl and Milly. "Let's go."  
  
They all walked out of the Saloon. Everyone giving a sigh of releif besides Pockey who stared at the door. He turned to his mom and ran back to her.  
  
He jumped into her lap. "Vash is so cool Mommy!"  
  
*******  
  
Meryl smiled at Vash. Milly was also smiling at Vash too. He glared back at the two women. "What?"  
  
"Nothing." Meryl said. Milly laughed a bit.  
  
"If you two don't tell me what the hell is so funny and why you two are smiling at me, I swear I'll pull my gun out at you." He threatened.  
  
"Oh it's just that. You've been so nice since you gained that wound." Meryl said.  
  
"Trust me. It won't last." vash said, walking faster, so the girls could only see his back. His hands were placed on his hips. "I just didn't feel like getting my wound opened. That's all."  
  
Meryl smiled again. 'I'm not sure why.. but.. Vash doesn't seem that bad anymore. When you get past the arrogent, self-centered, prideful person... he's sweet inside.'   
  
She couldn't help but think back to where he saved her from that man in the bar. He looked like he was ready to fight every man in the bar, if need be. Meryl sighed. That could easily be counted up at his macho side taking over.   
  
'Why are men so confusing?'  
  
***********************  
  
I know some of you are confused about the k.r. thing. I only did that to see if you people were really reading my notes. ((K.R. stands for 'Kristin Rules'. ::grins:: Sorry. Couldn't help myself.))   
  
Now, I know some of you DO read these notes! I'm so happy!   
  
Anyways, I hope you liked my chapter and please tell me if I am doing alright!   
  
PLEASE REVIEW!!! 


	9. The Smoking Priest

Thank you all for reviewing my story! ^_^  
  
This chapter is for every Wolfwood Fan out there!  
  
*********************  
  
Two in the same boat  
  
*********************  
  
Part 9- The Smoking Priest  
  
It had been a day since the bar. People around town stayed as far from the hotel as possible. Meryl was finding it impossible to shop anywhere without someone whispering about Vash, Milly or her. It was really getting on her nerves!  
  
Erics seemed to be completely unaware of anything that was going on.  
  
He sat, in a rocking chair, outside of the hotel. It was his favorite place to be during the evenings. He could see the sunset, people passing by and see childern play. but now, the streets were cleared. He was slightly confused about that, but didn't pay it any mind.   
  
A small boy ran up to him that day. "Hello!"  
  
"Hi." Erics said with a smile on his face.   
  
"Why are you in bandages? Did you get hurt?" He questioned, pointing to the bandages on Erics' stomach.  
  
"Yes. A bad guy shot me there. It's pretty healed right now. I just can't jump around." Erics explained to the boy. The boy seemed to act like he knew him or something. That was rather strange. Erics was sure he didn't meet this kid before.  
  
"Do you remember me?" The boy questioned.  
  
"..Not really. Sorry." Erics said.  
  
"It's ok. You can call me Pockey." He said.  
  
"And you can call me Erics." He said with a smile.  
  
"Erics? I like it!" Pockey exclaimed. He walked up to Erics and sat in his lap. "Did you know, people are saying you're dangerous?"  
  
"Dangerous? Me? I wouldn't harm a kitten." Erics said, laughing. It was kinda true. If he didn't have to, he wouldn't harm a single thing.  
  
"I saw you in the bar. You're really cool." Pockey said with a smile.   
  
"Really? Well, can you tell me what happened?" Erics asked. Maybe he could get something out of this kid. What harm could it be to find out about what happens between the black holes in his mind?  
  
Pockey searched his mind and explained everything he could remember. Right down to the conversations and everything! He even did a deeper voice for the bad guys. Then, a 'cool' voice for 'Vash'.  
  
"And they left." he finished.  
  
"..I... I did that?" Erics questioned. He wasn't sure if his other side was good or bad by the example. But one thing was for sure. His other side wasn't afraid of hurting anyone. He was also very defensive. But, atleast he was protecting Meryl and Milly.  
  
"Yep yep! You're the coolest person ever! He didn't have to shoot no one like all the other good guys." he was super excitied about it. Pockey bounced in Erics' lap.  
  
"Well, I'm glad I didn't hurt anyone too bad." Erics said with a smile.  
  
"Frances!" A woman said. Erics and Pockey turned to see who it was. It was Pockey's mother.  
  
Pockey groaned. "Aww.. Ma! It's not even last out.. Can't I stay for awhile?"  
  
"No! You come here. Please.. please mister Vash. Don't hurt my son. He doesn't know what he's doing." She begged.  
  
"Vash?" Erics whispered to himself. So. His other side was Vash the Stampede! It all made sence now! "Don't worry Ma'am. I won't hurt him. Pockey's a very nice and sweet boy." Erics smiled at her. "You must be a great mother."  
  
Pockey's mother blushed alittle. "T-Thank you."   
  
"Welcome." Then he turned to Pockey. "I think it's time for you to go. And next time, ask before you come over to visit me... ok?"  
  
"Ok! I'll come back tomorrow!" Pockey said, hopping off his lap. With a stern look from Erics, he then added. "If.. my mom will let me."  
  
"That's a way." Erics said laughing. "See ya."  
  
"Bye!" with that, Pockey and his mother went home. Erics waved til he could no longer see them. Then, he sat back in the chair and started to rock it. The sun would set in only a half hour. He could wait til then for it to set.   
  
"So, there you are. The imfamous Vash the Stampede. Who ever thought I would find him in such a small town?" A man questioned.  
  
Erics turned his head and blinked. "Who are you?"  
  
"Me? My name is Nick D. Wolfwood. You can call me Wolfwood. I was hired by some guys to take you out. Also, the reward is very tempting too." Wolfwood said, dropping his ciggerette on the ground. He picked up his cross.  
  
"What's with the huge cross? I've never seen someone carry one of those around." Erics said, looking at the huge cross.  
  
"This, is for god. I'm a man of the clothe. A traveling priest." Wolfwood said, then flipped one of the straps on his cross. The cover fell to the ground. The sides of the cross were pushed out, and four hand guns on each side popped out. Wolfwood grabbed one in each hand. "And I'm here to do God's work."  
  
Erics gulped. "Ummm...umm.. Hey! Wait a second!"  
  
That made Wolfwood blink behind his sunglasses. "What?"  
  
"You're a priest! What happen to 'Thou Shall not Kill'?" Erics questioned.  
  
Wolfwood shrugged. "Sometimes you have to go around that to defeat the evil in this world. Sorry, but that includes you, Mr. Vash the Stampede."  
  
"Well.. haha.. funny thing is about that.... well.. how should I explain this?" Erics started, rubbing his chin. "Well, I'm not exactly Vash... and I'm not exactly not him.."  
  
"What the hell are you talking about? Either you are, or you aren't." Wolfwood said.  
  
"Umm.... Can't I be both?" Erics asked in an innocent manner.  
  
'I can't believe this guy! No way can he be Vash the Stampede.' Wolfwood thought to himself.  
  
Just then, a group of kids walked around the corner. "Hey Vash!" One of them shouted. He tossed a rock over and hit Erics right in the head.  
  
Erics, turned into Vash. "This... is.. why... I.. HATE KIDS!!!!!" Vash stood up from the chair and grabbed the rock. "Now... either you kids go the hell away from me, or I'll throw this rock THROUGH YOUR TINY HEADS!"  
  
The kids, shaking to the core, ran like their feet were on fire away from the sight! Vash simply dropped the rock and sat back down, tring to calm himself. His wound was starting to throb with pain.  
  
"Shit.. I can't do this anymore." He said to himself, holding his wound.  
  
"You really are Vash the Stampede." Wolfwood said, now convinced.  
  
"Crap. I forgot about you. Well, you will not only be killing me, but an innocent person too." Vash said, rocking the chair.  
  
"What do you mean?" Wolfwood asked.  
  
"If you shoot me, your bullet will most likely go through me and through the door. It will hit Meryl and Milly who are now easedropping on us." Vash commented, completely calm.  
  
The door opened and out came Meryl and Milly.  
  
"We're Sorry Mr. Vash. We couldn't help it. It is our job." Meryl said.  
  
"That's right. Besides, those kids were only having some fun. You didn't have to yell at them." Milly pointed out.  
  
"Yeah, but when a child hits you with a rock, you forget all that." Vash said, somewhat angry.  
  
"What are two girls like you doing with a guy like that?" Wolfwood questioned.  
  
"It's our job to lessen the damage done by Mr. Vash. Though... we came into a little problem." Meryl explained. "Why don't you come inside and we'll explain it. As long as you don't shoot Mr. Vash."  
  
Wolfwood sneered a little, thinking to himself. "Alright... but no funny stuff."  
  
"Promise." Meryl said.  
  
"Scouts Honor!" Milly pipped in.  
  
***  
  
Vash pulled his shirt off, letting Meryl remove the dirty bandages and put on clean ones. Wolfwood leaned against the wall with one arm drapped over his cross. Milly was getting some pudding from the fridge.  
  
"Well, to tell you the truth Mr. Wolfwood. Vash is really two people." Meryl said as she unwrapped the bandages.  
  
"Say what?" Wolfwood questioned.  
  
"Yes. I'm two different people. Right now, I'm Vash. But, the goofy, stupid side of me is the person you met first. He's Erics." Vash explained.  
  
"So, what you're saying is you have another person inside of you?" Wolfwood questioned. he didn't quite get this. He never heard of anything like this before.  
  
"Think of it this way Mr. Wolfwood." Milly started. "It's like two people in a boat. Only, the boat is the body and the people are the seperate spirits. One is a wanted criminal and the other is a sweet, innocent man."  
  
"Well... this is a hard case. I can't very well kill an innocent person.. but I can't let a man who thinks killings sprees are fun live either." Wolfwood said.  
  
Vash growled. "I only killed because I got pissed! You have no idea what I went through that day dammit! If you did, you'd understand!"  
  
"Understand what? That you destroyed an entire town because you were mad? Yeah. I understand that perfectly." Wolfwood exclaimed.  
  
"It's not like that! Knives was there!" Vash shouted.  
  
"Knives? Who's Knives?" Meryl questioned.  
  
Vash closed his mouth and stayed quiet. He took a deep breath. "No one. No one at all."  
  
Everyone stared at him for a few seconds, not knowing what to say or do.  
  
"Only one person died that day... and it was my humanity. You wouldn't understand what I've been through and what I've seen." Vash said in a very quiet voice. Everyone had to lean in to hear what he was saying. Even Meryl had some trouble, and she was beside him!  
  
"I've had enough of this staring business. I'm gone." Vash said. He closed his eyes for a few seconds. His shoulders slumped a little, and the air around him changed again. When he opened his eyes, he was Erics.  
  
"Gah!!" Erics fell off the bed. "Oww.... Umm.. What is Wolfwood doing in here? How'd I get here?"  
  
Everyone sweatdropped.  
  
***********************  
  
I put Wolfwood in the story! And a hint of the story change from the anime! Also, a hint that Knives will be in future chapters! Ok.. so i said that one outloud.. ok.. anyways. Hope you like the story!  
  
PLEASE REVIEW!!! 


End file.
